Consumer headphones are increasingly becoming more expensive because of improved technology and materials. For example, some headphones have quite large, comfortable headphones or earpieces made of memory foam, sponge, leather, vinyl, composites, etc. that surround and protect expensive audio speaker and other components, and that provide comfort for the wearer. Many headphones are designed to block noises from the surrounding area so that the user can experience better or enhanced sound quality. In some cases, the earpiece cover of the headphone naturally adheres to the skin when it covers the ears. However, foreign materials such as dirt, dust, bacteria, oils, grease, moisture, sweat, and other undesirable materials can collect on and around the earpieces of the headphones, which can cause degradation of the headphones, and in some cases this can cause the headphones to become unsanitary. The presence of foreign materials often reduces the life of the headphones because the earpieces become uncomfortable or worn out (even though the expensive audio speakers may still work fine). For example, over time, abrasions may appear on the surfaces of earpieces of the headphones, such as a result of the user cleaning them or storing the headphones. In other cases, cleaning the headphones with a cleaner may naturally deteriorate the material of the headphone cover. As the materials of the earpieces of the headphones begin to wear and breakdown, for example as the soft materials making up the earpieces wears, parts of the material can fragment and gradually peel off, or small holes can begin to form on or in the material. In such cases, secretions from human skin can infiltrate the materials, which provides a breeding ground for various bacteria.
For these reasons, contaminated headphone earpiece materials should be changed, but it is difficult for users to change such materials because they are usually formed integral with the earpieces of the headphones. Unfortunately, headphones are often discarded when the earpiece material wears out or breaks down, even when the headphone electronics are still functioning.